A step forward for measuring health care quality

The government, doctors' groups, insurers and patient advocates say they're coming together on a common set of measurements for what constitutes quality health care.

A collaborative representing the various players Tuesday released quality measures for seven broad areas: primary care, cardiology, digestive system, HIV and hepatitis C, medical oncology, orthopedics, and obstetrics and gynecology.

As private insurance companies and government programs like Medicare increasingly demand proof of quality, doctors say they've been overwhelmed by paperwork, since everyone seems to have a different idea of what quality means. The core measures are meant to solve that problem and free up more resources for patient care.

Insurers and government officials say they will start introducing the new measures next year.

The American Medical Association says the project is a work in progress.